Bartees Strange

American musician
  • Indie rock
  • alternative
  • hip hop[2]
Instrument(s)GuitarYears active2020–presentLabels
  • 4AD
  • Memory Music
  • Brassland
Websitewww.barteesstrange.com
Musical artist

Bartees Leon Cox Jr., (born January 30, 1989) known by his stage name Bartees Strange, is an English-born American musician. Cox was born in Ipswich, England,[1] raised in Mustang, Oklahoma, and is now based in Washington D.C.[3]

Early life

Cox was born in Ipswich, England, to a military father and opera-singer mother. The family moved from England to Germany, Greenland and various US states before settling in Mustang, Oklahoma, when he was aged 12.[4] Before becoming a musician, Cox worked as the director of communications for a nonprofit environmental organization in Washington D.C.[5]

Career

While living in Brooklyn, Cox was a member of post-hardcore band Stay Inside from 2016 to 2018. In late 2017, Cox released his first solo effort, the acoustic folk EP "Magic Boy" under the name Bartees & The Strange Fruit.[6]

In March 2020, Cox released an EP of re-imagined covers of songs by The National, titled Say Goodbye to Pretty Boy, on Brassland.[7] After being named an "Artist To Watch" by Stereogum,[8] he released his debut solo LP, Live Forever, on October 2, 2020.[9] Featuring a mix of hip hop, indie rock, and jazz music,[10][11] the album was met with positive reception.[12][13] Later that year, Cox participated in the 2020 Thursday Signals V2 live show,[14] and continued to tour throughout 2021 and 2022, supporting artists such as Lucy Dacus, Phoebe Bridgers, Courtney Barnett, and Car Seat Headrest.

In 2022, Cox released his second album, Farm to Table.[15][16] Following the album's release, he toured alongside artists such as The National, Japanese Breakfast, and Metric.

Personal life

Cox identifies as bisexual.[17]

Discography

Studio albums

  • Live Forever (2020) – Memory Music
  • Farm to Table (2022) – 4AD
  • Magic Boy (2024) (2017 EP in new configuration with different art and additional music) – Brassland

Extended plays

Singles

As lead artist

Title Year Album
"About Today" 2020 Say Goodbye to Pretty Boy
"Lemonworld"
"Going Going" / "HAGS" Non-album singles
"The Geese of Beverly Road" / "Looking for Astronauts"
"Mustang" Live Forever
"Boomer"
"Kelly Rowland"
"Weights" 2021 Live Forever (Deluxe)
"Province"
(with Eric Slick & OHMME)
Non-album single
"Heavy Heart" 2022 Farm to Table
"Cosigns"
"Daily News" 2023 Non-album single

As featured artist

Title Year Album
"Plead Insanity"
(Spring Silver featuring Bartees Strange and Sad13)
2020 Non-album singles
"Goldbrick Champion"
(Broke Royals featuring Bartees Strange)
"love that 4 u"
(altopalo featuring Bartees Strange)
2022 frenemy
Guest appearances
List of guest appearances as featured artist, with the respective artists and albums
Title Year Artist Album
"It's Gold" 2020 Project Diem Pluto
"Milky"
"Top of the World" Dave Hause Patty
"Monsters" 2021 Hit Like a Girl Heart Racer
"The Pearl" Lorenzo Wolff Down Where the Valleys Are Low: Another Otherworld for Judee Sill
"You Always Hurt the Ones You Love" 2024 The New Look (Apple TV+ Original Series Soundtrack)
Remixes
Song Year Artist Album Title
"Bone Skull" 2021 Glass Beach alchemist rats beg bashful (remixes) Bartees Strange Remix
"Smartest Man"
(featuring Arlissa)
Homeschool Homeschool: Book I Bartees Strange Remix
"Pool" Samia The Baby Reimagined Bartees Strange Version
"Dreams" Hannah Georgas All That Emotion Versions Bartees Strange Remix
"Emergency Equipment & Exits" Ganser Look At The Sun Bartees Strange Remix
"Pool Hopping" Illuminati Hotties Non-album singles Strange Pool Remix
"Kyoto" Phoebe Bridgers Bartees Strange Remix
"Figure 8" 2023 Paramore Re: This Is Why Re: Bartees Strange

Tours

Headlining

  • 2021 Tour (2021)[19]

Supporting

References

  1. ^ a b c "Brassland | Bartees Strange". Brassland.org. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
  2. ^ Casciato, Tom (2022-11-21). "Bartees Strange pushes the boundaries of indie rock". PBS News Hour. PBS. Retrieved 2022-11-22.
  3. ^ Wallock, Matt (19 March 2020). "Bartees Strange Wants to Make Indie Rock—and the World—A More Equitable Place". AdHoc. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  4. ^ Shaffer, Claire (8 October 2020). "Bartees Strange Is Tired of Your Genres". Rolling Stone.
  5. ^ Barrios, Maria. "Bartees Strange makes some changes". The Washington Post.
  6. ^ a b "Bartees & the Strange Fruit – Magic Boy (2017, File)". Discogs.com. 8 December 2017.
  7. ^ McKenna, Lyndsey. "For Bartees Strange, Everything Is Everything". NPR Music. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  8. ^ Gordon, Arielle (16 September 2020). "Artist To Watch: Bartees Strange". Stereogum. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  9. ^ Shaffer, Claire (12 August 2020). "Bartees Strange Announces Debut Album, 'Live Forever,' Shares 'Boomer'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  10. ^ Payne, Chris. "Meet Bartees Strange, the D.C. Musician Who's Revitalizing Indie Rock". Billboard. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  11. ^ Chelosky, Danielle. "Bartees Strange Gives In To Lawless Creation". MTV News. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  12. ^ Josephs, Brian. "Bartees Strange: Live Forever". Pitchfork. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  13. ^ "Live Forever by Bartees Strange". Metacritic.com.
  14. ^ "Thursday Signals V2 2020 Live Event". Comeandtakeitproductions.com. Retrieved 2021-01-01.
  15. ^ Pareles, Jon (17 June 2022). "Bartees Strange Ponders Success in Dire Times". The New York Times. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  16. ^ Greene, Jayson. "Bartees Strange: Farm to Table". Pitchfork.com. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  17. ^ @Bartees_Strange (October 11, 2022). "When I told my mom I was Bi she was very unsurprised. Happy coming out day. Do you, no matter what. ♥️🖤✌🏾" (Tweet). Retrieved October 12, 2022 – via Twitter.
  18. ^ Manno, Lizzie (2020-10-05). "Bartees Strange's Live Forever Refuses to Conform". Pastemagazine.com.
  19. ^ Williams, Keegan (July 28, 2021). "News: Bartees Strange Announces Headlining U.S. Tour Dates, Additional Supporting Dates". New Noise. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
  20. ^ Hussey, Allison (March 28, 2023). "Boygenius Announce 2023 North American Tour". Pitchfork. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  21. ^ Rossignol, Derrick (October 26, 2021). "Car Seat Headrest Is Going On Tour In 2022 And Taking Bartees Strange With Them". Uproxx. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
  22. ^ Hatfield, Amanda (March 29, 2022). "The National announce summer tour w/ Japanese Breakfast, Lucy Dacus & Bartees Strange". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
  23. ^ Strauss, Matthew (August 23, 2021). "Phoebe Bridgers No Longer Playing Indoor Concerts on 2021 U.S. Tour". Pitchfork. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
  24. ^ Hatfield, Amanda (April 13, 2021). "Lucy Dacus announces new album & tour w/ Bartees Strange (watch "Hot & Heavy" video)". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
  25. ^ Doria, Matt (June 18, 2021). "Courtney Barnett announces US tour dates for 2021 and 2022". NME. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
  26. ^ "Metric North American "The Doomscroller Tour" to Kick Off This August". Live Nation Entertainment. April 28, 2022. Retrieved May 3, 2022.

External links

Bartees Strange at Wikipedia's sister projects
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  • Data from Wikidata
  • Official website Edit this at Wikidata
Authority control databases: Artists Edit this at Wikidata
  • MusicBrainz